End-gate fastener.



G. W. GILLIAM.

END GATE FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1912.

Patented "Jan. 28, 1913.

ji'zz/elzior COLUMBIA PLANIXIRAPH LID-.WASHINOTON. u c.

UNITE srn'rns PATENT OFFICE,

GEORGE W. GILLIAM, :OF YALE, VIRGINIA.

' END-GATE FASTENER.

Application filed June 8, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that; I, GEORGE W. GILLIAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yale, in the county of Sussex and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in End-Gate Fasteners, of

which the following-is a specification.

1 The'present invention relates to end-gate fasteners, and it resides, briefly, inthe production of an improved Inulti-part device of that type which'is so constructed as to exert a bracing action upon the sides of the wa on body, at the ends thereof, for the 1 'purpose of holding the end-gate in place;

to relieve the strain upon said sides when the: wagonj body is, subjected to any sudden and heavy shock; to permit its application to any ordinary or conventional make of wagon; and to enable' itywhen applied, to be readily fastened and unfastened.

An embodiment of the invention is villus-m trated. 'in:- the accompanying drawing, where1n Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively,"a' frag mental perspective view and a horizontal section showing the practical application of said invention.

In said drawing, 1 indicates, generally, a

wagon body, and 2 an end-gate of conventional make, the ends of the gate being slidably fitted in thespaces between the pairs of cleats 3 and 4 which, as is customary, are secured to the inner faces of thesides 5 of the wagon body adjacent tothe rear ends thereof. 7

The fastener 6, (of which, however, more than one is usually employed), connects the terminals of the sides 5 at the rear of the end-gate, but instead of being formed by a single rod, as is frequently the case, this element is of multi-part construction, and

comprises, in the embodiment illustrated,

a pair of coupling blocks 7 and 8, or their equivalents, which are carried by rods 9. The said blocks are adapted for connection at their confronting inner ends by a grooveand-tenon, or similar joint 10, which admits ofready coupling and uncoupling,,and are provided at their outer ends with threaded sockets 1 1 wherein the inner ends of the rods are adjustably received. The outer ends 9 of said rods are formed as eyes which are loosely engaged with the eyes 12 provided upon the adjacent ends of the fastening bolts 12, the latter passing through the outer cleats 3 and the wagon sides 5 and Specification of Letters Patent.

shown.

Patented J an. 28, 1913.

Serial No. 702,632.

terminating at their outer ends in heads 12 that-engage the said wagon sides, as

The coupling blocks 7 and are drawn together, to exert the requisite pull upon the wagon sides by means of a suitable device, here shown as formed by the lever 13, this lever being connected with'one of the blocks and adapted to engage the other block. In the construction illustrated, the left-hand block 7 is provided upon its-outer side face with a perforated lugli through which slides a bolt 15 arranged parallel 'withsaid block, one end of'this bolt: termimating in a fork 15, while the ot-her' end carries a stop'l 5 an expansiblespringfi being" interposed between-said stop and lug,

for" the purpose of normally 'for'ci ng the bolt toward the'left. Fork-locarrie's a pin 17, to which a'repivoted the inner'ends of a pair. of links 18, whose outer ends are connected by a pin :19, on which, in? turn, the

: afore- 'mentioned lever 13 is pivoted. Said lever-is of the two-armed type, its short inner arm 13 being slightly oifset from its long outer arm 13, which latter is formed with a terminal hook 13 The first-mentioned lever arm 13 co-acts with and is designed to engage a hooked lateral projection 8 formed upon the outer side face of block 8, the arrangement being such, therefore, as to impart to the lever a cam-like action during its movements into operative and inoperative position, to respectively lock and unlock the coupling blocks.

In order to retain the lever in the former position, means such, for example, as the ring 20 may be provided. This ring is the members of the fastener are positively connected at all times to the wagon body,'so that there is no danger of the same becoming displaced or lost. Also, the coupling blocks can be readily locked and unlocked by a single movement of the cam lever,

a projection; a locking device connected -with the other block and arranged=to engage ,said projection; .a *rod connected to each block; an element loosely carried by the which latter is, itself, held in o erative position by the cooperation of the spring 21 and ring 20. Finally, the =1 6-carried by pin 15 serves to normally pull said lever e toward the left and thus retain 'its offset rod connected to the first-namedblock and arranged to engage said locking device; and means interposed between isaid first-- named block and 'said loclcingiid evice for" retaining said element in such'engagement.

2. A fastener of the character specified comprising, in combination, a pair of cou-' :pling blocks, one of which is provided with a projection; a locking device connected;

with the other block and arranged to en gage said projection; "a rod connected to each block; an element loosely carried by the rod connected to the first-named block and arranged to engage said locking device; and a spring interposed between said first-named block and said locking device for forcing the latter away from the former,

to retain said element in such engagement.

3. A fastener of the character specified comprising, in combination, a pair of coupling blocks, one of which :isprovided with a projection; a locking lever connected with the other block and arranged to engage said projection; a rod connected to each block; a ring loosely carried by the rod connected to the first-named block and arranged to engage one arm of said lever; and a spring interposed between the said first-named block and said lever arm for forcing the latter away from the former, to retain said ring in such engagement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. V

GEORGE W. GILLIAM.

Witnesses A. W. PARKER, W. D. MAGEE.

Gopiesof this .patent'may be obtained. for five 'cents each, by addressing the flommissi'oner'of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

